Update 3/11/12: I got word from Doc Martens, these are definitely not vegan.  There is leather on the inside.  So frustrating.

UPDATE 3/7/12: Again it’s been brought to my attention that these might contain leather.  Upon closer inspection it does appear that the chambray ones do have leather around the inner ankle.  But the black ones don’t.  There might be leather below that but it’s too hard to tell just by looking.  I will check with the company and report back.  Thanks for your patience guys.

Well, this is a pleasant surprise from Sir Dr. Martens.  A canvas desert boot is the last thing I would expect from them, but hey – this works.  I was immediately smitten with the Nixon‘s shapely contrasting white sole.  Too often I feel like desert boot soles are too flat.  Apparently there is a special process called “heat welting” to attach the sole.  As long as it stays on it’s fine with me.  I prefer the black canvas, but the chambray is good too.  You can also get these in grey and brown.

Available at Karmaloop, Amazon, and Endless.

More pics after the jump (of just black and chambray).  See Endless and Amazon for the other colors.

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UPDATE 3/5/12: Sorry guys it was brought to my attention that the toecap is leather.  I didn’t pay close enough attention on that one, which is too bad.  These are really nice.

Vans continues to tweak the formula of their much loved (by me at least) Chukka boot.  The California Chukka TC is virtually the same, with the noticeable difference being the rubber toe cap.  There are more subtle touches, such as the metal eyelets and a patterned outsole.  And the silhouette to me appears a little more refined, flatter near the toe.  It’s a great “upgrade” to those who may think the original Chukka boot is a little boring.

Available at DQM and Bows and Arrows.

Vans has managed to keep their classics fresh with different color combinations and collaborations.  And we’ve seen them mix it up with various materials such as denim, corduroy, chambray, etc.  I have to give them credit for trying something I’ve never seen before – these three Era models incorporate Neoprene, a synthetic material commonly used in wetsuits.  Not sure how they will pan out, but my guess is that they will be more comfy (and water repellant) than the canvas ones.  Available in grey, black, and blue.

Available at Vans DQM General (in store, not web) in New York.

Source: Freshness Mag

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I’ve had my eye out on the Air Max 90 canvas and denim since I saw them but wasn’t sure if they were vegan or not.  I shot an email to Nike and they confirmed that the canvas colorway was indeed animal free.  Not 100% sure on the denim but I am assuming if they do not use leather on the swoosh or other questionable details on this particular model, it would be consistent with other non-leather uppers.  Here’s what I’ve seen on various blogs and sites.  I don’t know exactly where you can get these but I would just search and see what comes up.  Good luck and post anything that would be useful in the comments section.  Thanks!

Pictured above: red.

Pictured below: obsidian denim, blue canvas, and black canvas.

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Hey everyone, welcome to the first installation of Vegan Styx, a comic strip created by my good friend the Iconoclast.  I am very excited to showcase this hilarious and vegan-centric strip.  Check it! [click picture for full size]

Tired of wearing only one brand *cough, Vans* slip on?  Give this Macbeth McQueen a look.  It’s sporting a low profile EVA sole, and has a textured insole, which has to be better than whatever Vans slaps on in there.  As a shout out to their musician centric perspective, peep the little metal guitar pick on the tongue.

Available in red and black at Macbeth

Source: Sneaker Freaker

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I thought I’ve listed every single Vans canvas shoe at least twice on this blog, so thank you Vans for putting out something new.  The Vans Style 31 is pretty much re-treading the same tried and true formula – the high gum sole and silhouette a la Authentic and Era.  But there are some noticeable differences.  Primarily, you can see that the lace loops are wider, giving it a look more like the Chuck Taylor All Star.  That’s pretty much it.  If you want something the same, but different, give these a look.

Available in navy at Urban Outfitters.

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This one was a no-brainer.  The CONS CTS Ox looks just like your Chuck Taylor All Star, but packs a few extra features.  The canvas and laces are “high abrasion” (whatever that means) and there is padding on the tongue and ankle.  It’s not crazy, but I rock a pair of CTS Mids and there is definitely a difference in comfort.  The regular All Stars have no support at all; definitely wouldn’t wear a pair of those skating.  These, though, are a great upgrade and a classic in my opinion.

CONS CTS Ox in black canvas available at Premier.

Click down for more pics.

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Keep always has some of the best sneakers around, and they never let it get dull by using unique materials and patterns.  Pictured above, the Ramos and Nuss incorporate a great combination of brown twill forefoot and madras on the heel.  Twill is not actually a type of material, but is textile weave of a pattern of diagonal parallel ribs.  Madras is a lightweight cotton fabric usually with a texture and plaid design.  [thank you, Wikipedia!].

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Happy New Year everyone!   Vegankicks is ready for another great year of animal-free action.  I’m going to start things off in 2012 with a pair that I personally just procured – the Dennis (in brown suede) by Novacas.  This purchase was a little more out of necessity than anything, as I seriously needed shoes for “business casual” attire.  That in itself is a whole bag of gripes, and I’ll leave that out of here.  But as those concerns were on my mind, I came across these at Moo Shoes.  Now, I have seen the Dennis in black faux leather before, and I would NOT recommend those.  They look cheap and uninspired.  But when I saw them in brown suede, I couldn’t resist.  It’s strange how much the material and color can really make a difference.  I would highly recommend these, as they are sharp enough for the office, but simple and casual enough to wear with a pair of jeans.

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